Transit workers overwhelmingly approve contract

Some 82% of subway and bus workers voted to approve a deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Subway and bus workers overwhelmingly approved a contract deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, their union announced Monday.

Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union said 82% of the more than 15,000 votes cast were in favor of the agreement, which was reached last month and came more than two years after the last contract lapsed.

"At a time when few workers see their paychecks growing, with a recovery that fails to take hold for so many, transit workers can hold their heads high by having won raises in every year of the five-year deal," union President John Samuelson said.

Under the deal, workers would get two years of retroactive raises of 1% a year, a 2% raise going back to this January and 2% raises in each of the next two years.

Workers would pay 2% of their base salaries for health insurance, up from 1.5%. But they would get some new benefits, including paid maternity and paternity leave, and better dental and optical coverage.

The contract now goes to the MTA board on Wednesday for a vote.

The MTA is still facing contract issues with workers at its Long Island Rail Road. A presidential emergency board has been appointed to help resolve the dispute and its recommendations are expected to be released on Tuesday.